Publications
Rachael Bedford Google Scholar page.
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2025
​Richard, A. E., Duku, E., Bennett, T. Szatmari, P. Vaillancourt, T., Zwaigenbaum, L., Zaidman-Zait, A., Kerns, C. M., Bedford, R., Smith, I. M. (2025). Trajectories of attention problems in autistic children and relations to social skills outcomes. Development and Psychopathology (in press)
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Hendry, A., Bedford, R., Agyapong, M. et al. Simple Executive Function as an endophenotype of autism-ADHD, and differing associations between simple versus complex Executive Functions and autism/ADHD traits. Sci Rep 15, 4925 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-87863-2
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2024
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Bennett, T., Jambon, M., Zaidman-Zait, A., Duku, E., Georgiades, S., Elsabbagh, M., Smith, I. M., Vaillancourt, T., Zwaigenbaum, L., Kerns, C. M., Richard, A. E., Bedford, R. & Szatmari, P.  Early-Onset Trajectories of Emotional Dysregulation in Autistic Children (2024). Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2024.11.004
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Ng-Cordell, E., Pickard, H., Bedford, R., Richard, A., Zaidman-Zait, A., Zwaigenbaum, L., Duku, E., Bennett, T., Georgiades, S., Smith, I. M., Vaillancourt, T., Szatmari, P., Elsabbagh, M., & Kerns, C. M. (2024). Longitudinal Associations between Autistic Children’s Anxiety and Social Communication Differences: The Moderating Role of Executive Function Behaviours. Autism. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613241296589
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Bedford, R.*, Green, J.*, Gliga, T., Jones, E. H., Elsabbagh, M., Pasco, G., Wai Wan, M., Slonims, V., Charman, T., Pickles, A. and Johnson, M. H. (2024). Parent-mediated Intervention in Infants with an Elevated Likelihood for Autism Reduces Dwell Time during a Gaze Following Task. Autism Research,17(11), 2346-2354. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.3223
Mortimer, A., Fiske, A., Bedford, R., Hendry, A., and Holmboe, K. (2024). Concurrent and Longitudinal Associations Between Touchscreen Use and Executive Functions at Preschool-Age. Frontiers in Psychology, 2, 1422635. https://doi.org/10.3389/fdpys.2024.1422635
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Pickard, H., Essex, C., Chu, P., Goddard, E. J., Baulcome, K., Carter, B., Bedford, R.* & Smith, T.* (2024). Effect of screen use before bed on toddler sleep and attention: A randomised controlled trial. JAMA Pediatrics, 178(12), 1270-1279. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.3997
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Media coverage: The Standard, Sleep Review, Nursing in Practice
Winebreak D., Huth, N., Sela-Gueron, N. Propper, C., Mills-Koonce, R., Bedford, R., Wagner, N. (2024). An examination of the relations between effortful control in early childhood and risk for later externalizing psychopathology: A bi-factor structural equation modeling approach. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-024-01716-z
Plate, R. C., Powell, T., Bedford, R., Smith, T. J., Bamezai, A., Wedderburn, Q., Broussard, A., Soesanto, N., Swetlitz, C., Waller, R., and Wagner, N. J. (2024). Social threat processing in adults and children: faster orienting to, but shorter dwell time on, angry faces during visual search. Developmental Science, 27(3), e13461. https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.13461
Moraitopoulou, G., Pickard, H., Simonoff, E., Pickles, A., Bedford, R., and Carter Leno, V. (2024). No association between alexithymia and emotion recognition or theory of mind in a sample of adolescents enhanced for autistic traits. Autism, 28(8), 2066-2079. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613231221928
Bagg, E., Pickard, H., Tan, M., Smith, T.J., Simonoff, E., Pickles, A., Carter Leno, V., and Bedford, R. (2024). Testing the Social Motivation Theory of Autism: The Role of Co-occurring Anxiety. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 65(7), 899-909. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13925
Carter Leno, V., Wright, N., Bedford, R., Steiman, M., Duku, E., Bennett, T., Georgiades, S., Kerns, C., Mirenda, P., Smith, I., Ungar, W. J., Vaillancourt, T., Waddells, C., Zaidman-Zait, A., Zwaigenbaum, L., Szatmari, P., Pickles, A. and Elsabbagh, M. (2024). Longitudinal Associations between Early Childhood Irritability and Adolescent Depression Symptoms in Autistic Children are Mediated by Peer Relationships but Not Educational Engagement. Development and Psychopathology, 36(1), 443-453. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579422001316
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2023
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Burnley, A., St Clair, M.C., Bedford, R., Wren, Y., Dack, C. (2023). Understanding the prevalence and manifestation of anxiety and other socio-emotional and behavioural difficulties in children with Developmental Language Disorder. Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 15(1), 17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s11689-023-09486-w
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​Wright, N., Courchesne, V., Pickles, A., Bedford, R., Duku, E., Hill, J., Kerns, C., Bennett, T., Georgiades, S., Richards, A., Sharp, H., Smith, I.M., Vaillancourt, T., Zaidman-Zait, A., Zwaigenbaum, L., Szatmari, P., Elsabbagh, M. & Pathways Team. (2023). A longitudinal comparison of emotional, behavioral and attention problems in autistic and typically developing children. Psychological Medicine, 53(16), 7707-7719. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291723001599
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Sharp, T., Elsabbagh, E., Pickles, A. and Bedford, R. (2023). The subcortical correlates of autistic traits in school-age children: a population-based neuroimaging study. Molecular Autism, 14(1), 6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13229-023-00538-5
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Smith, T.J., Essex, C., Bedford, R. (2023) Are movies making us smarter? The role of cinematic evolution in the Flynn Effect. Projections, 17(1), 52-66. https://doi.org/10.3167/proj.2023.170107​
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Carter Leno, V., Pickard, H., Cybulska, L., Smith, T. J., Munafo, M., Penton-Voak, I.S., Pickles, A., Simonoff, E. and Bedford, R. (2023). Associations between Emotion Recognition and Autistic and Callous Unemotional Traits: Differential Effects of Cueing to the Eyes. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 64(5), 787-796. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13736
Portugal, A.M., Hendry, A., Smith, T.J., Bedford, R. (2023). Do pre-schoolers with high touchscreen use show executive function differences? Computers in Human Behaviour, 139, 107553. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2022.107553
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2022
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De Laet, A., Piccardi, E. S., Begum-Ali, J., Charman, T., Johnson, M., Jones, E., Bedford, R.*, Gliga, T*. (2022). Neuronal gating of tactile input and sleep in 10-month-old infants at typical and elevated likelihood for autism spectrum disorder. Scientific Reports, 12(1), 14188. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-18018-w​ *joint senior author
Hendry, A., Agyapong, M., D’Souza, H., Frick, M., Portugal, A. M., Konke, L. A., Cloke, H., Bedford, R., Smith, T., Karmiloff-Smith, A., Jones, E. J. H., Charman, T., Brocki, K. C. (2022). Inhibitory Control and Problem Solving in Early Childhood: Exploring the burdens and benefits of high self-control. Infant and Child Development, 31(3) e2297. https://doi.org/10.1002/icd.2297
Pickles, A., Wright, N., Bedford, R., Steiman, M., Duku, E., Bennett, T., Georgiades, S., Kerns, C., Mirenda, P., Smith, I., Ungar, W. J., Vaillancourt, T., Waddells, C., Zaidman-Zait, A., Zwaigenbaum, L., Szatmari, P. and Elsabbagh, M. (2022). Predictors of Language Regression and its Association with Subsequent Communication Development in Children with Autism. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 63(11), 1243-1251. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13565
Carter-Leno, V.*, Wright, N.*, Pickles, A., Bedford, R., Zaidman-Zait, A., Kerns, C., Mirenda, P., Zwaigenbaum, L., Duku, E., Bennett, T., Georgiades, S., Smith, I., Vaillancourt, T., Szatmari, P. and Elsabbagh, M. (2022). Exposure to Family Stressful Life Events in Autistic Children: Longitudinal Associations with Mental Health and the Moderating Role of Cognitive Flexibility. Autism, 26(7), 1656-1667. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613211061932
Lynch, S. F., Bedford, R., Propper, C., Wagner, N. J. (2022). Examining Links Between Infant Parasympathetic Regulation during the Still-Face Paradigm and Later Callous-Unemotional Traits. Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, 50(4), 489-503. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-021-00860-7​
Gliga, T., Skolnick, A., Liersch, U., Charman, T., Johnson, M. H., Bedford, R. (2022). Investigating the mechanisms driving referent selection and retention in Toddlers at Typical and Elevated Likelihood for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Child Language, 49(5), 1024-1036. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0305000921000416
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2021
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Courchesne, V., Bedford, R., Pickles, A., Duku, E., Kerns, C., Mirenda, P., Bennett, T., Georgiades, S., Smith, I.M., Ungar, W., Vaillancourt, T., Zaidman-Zait, A., Zwaigenbaum, L., Szatmari, P., Elsabbagh, M. & Pathways Team (2021). Non-verbal IQ and change in restricted and repetitive behavior throughout childhood in autism: A longitudinal study using the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised. (2021). Molecular Autism, 12(10), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13229-021-00461-7
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Tesfaye, R., Wright, N., Zaidman-Zait, A., Bedford, R., Zwaigenbaum, L., Kerns, C., Duku, E., Mirenda, P., Bennett, T., Georgiades, S., Smith, I. M., Vaillancourt, T., Pickles, A., Szatmari, P., Elsabbagh, M. and Pathways Team. (2021). Investigating longitudinal associations between parent reported sleep in early childhood and teacher reported executive functioning in school-aged children with autism. Sleep, 44(9), zsab122. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsab122
Media coverage: Spectrum News​​
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Huberty, S., Carter Leno, V., van Noordt, S. J. R., Bedford, R., Pickles, A., Desjardins, J.A., Webb, S. J., Elsabbagh, M. (2021). Association between spectral EEG power and autism risk and diagnosis in early development. Autism Research, 14(7), 1390-1403. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.2518
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Portugal, A. M., Bedford, R., Cheung, C. H. M., Mason, L. and Smith, T. J. (2021). Longitudinal touchscreen use across early development is associated with faster exogenous and reduced endogenous attention control. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 2205. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-81775-7
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Bedford, R.*, Carter Leno, V.*, Wright, N., Bluett-Duncan, M., Smith, T. J., Anzures, G., Pickles, A., Sharp, H., Hill, J. (2021) Emotion Recognition Performance in Children with Callous Unemotional Traits is Modulated by Co-occurring Autistic Traits. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 50(6), 811-827. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2020.1833338 *joint first author
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Portugal, A. M.*, Bedford, R.*, Cheung, C. H. M., Gliga, T., Smith, T. J. (2021) Saliency-Driven Visual Search Performance in Toddlers With Low– vs High–Touch Screen Use. JAMA Pediatrics, 175(1), 96-97. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.2344 *joint first author
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Carter Leno, V., Bedford, R., Chandler, S., White, P., Yorke, I., Charman, T., Pickles, A., & Simonoff, E. (2021). Callous-unemotional traits in youth with autism spectrum (ASD): Replication of prevalence estimates and associations with gaze patterns when viewing fearful faces. Development and Psychopathology, 33(4), 1220-1228. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579420000449
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2020
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Hendry, A., Jones, E. J. H., Bedford, R., Konke, L. A., Ali, J. B., BÓ§lte, S., Brocki, K. C., Demurie, E., Johnson, M. H.,Pijl, M., Roeyers, H., Charman, T., & The Eurosibs Team. (2020). Atypical development of attentional control associates with later adaptive functioning, autism and ADHD traits. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 50(11), 4085-4105. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04465-9
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2019
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Bedford, R., Gliga, T., Hendry, A., Jones, E.J.H., Pasco, G., Charman, T., Johnson, M.H., Pickles, A., & The BASIS Team. Infant Regulatory Function acts as a Protective Factor for Later Traits of Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder but not Callous Unemotional Traits. (2019). Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 11(1), 14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s11689-019-9274-0
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Parsons, J.P., Bedford, R., Jones, E.J.H., Charman, T., Johnson, M. H., Gliga, T., & The BASIS Team. (2019). Gaze following and attention to objects in infants at familial risk for ASD. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 1799. https://dx.doi.org/10.3389%2Ffpsyg.2019.01799
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Shephard, E.*, Bedford, R.*, Milosavljevic, B., Gliga, T., Jones, E. J. H., Pickles, A., Johnson, M. H., Charman, T., & The BASIS Team. (2019). Early developmental pathways to childhood symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 60(9), 963-974. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.12947
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2018
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Wagner, N., Gueron, N., Bedford, R., & Propper, C. Maternal attributions of infant behavior and parenting behaviors predict teacher-rated internalizing problems in childhood. (2018). Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 47, S569-S577. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2018.1477050
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Hendry, A., Jones, E. J. H., Bedford, R., Gliga, T., Charman, T., & Johnson, M. H. (2018). Developmental change in look durations predicts later effortful control in toddlers at familial risk for ASD. Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 10(1), 3. https://doi.org/10.1186/s11689-017-9219-4
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Gueron, N., Bedford, R., Wagner, N., & Propper, C. (2018). Children’s Executive Functions Attenuate the Link between Maternal Intrusiveness and Internalizing Behaviors at School Entry. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 47, S435-S444. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2017.1381911
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Cheung, C.H.M., Bedford, R., Johnson, M. H., Charman, T., & Gliga, T. (2018). Visual search performance in infants associates with later ASD diagnosis. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 29, 4-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2016.09.003
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2017
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Minero, V.A., Barker, E., & Bedford, R. (2017). Method of homicide and severe mental illness: A systematic review. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 37, 52-62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2017.09.007
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Bedford, R.*, Gliga, T.*, Shephard, E., Jones, E. J. H., Elsabbagh, M., Pickles, A., Charman, T., & Johnson, M. H. (2017). Neurocognitive and observational markers: Prediction of autism spectrum disorder from infancy to mid-childhood. Molecular Autism, 8(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13229-017-0167-3
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Tye, C.*, Bedford, R.*, Asherson, P., Ashwood, K.L., Azadi, B., Bolton, P., & McLoughlin, G. (2017). Callous-unemotional traits modulate neurophysiological profiles in children with ASD and ADHD. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 26, 84-90. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.dcn.2017.06.002
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Cheung, C. H. M., Bedford, R., Saez De Urabain, I. R., Karmiloff-Smith, A., & Smith, T. J. (2017). Daily touchscreen use in infants and toddlers is associated with reduced sleep and delayed sleep onset. Scientific Reports, 7, 46104. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep46104
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Media coverage: BBC News, NHS Choices, The Independent, Telegraph
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Green J., Pickles A., Pasco G., Bedford R., Wan MW., Elsabbagh M., Slonims V., Gliga T., Jones E. J. H., Charman T., Johnson M. H., & the BASIS Team. (2017). Randomised trial of a parent-mediated intervention for infants at high risk for autism: longitudinal outcomes to age three years. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 58(12), 1330-1340. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111%2Fjcpp.12728
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Bedford, R.*, Wagner, N.*, Rehder, P., Propper, C., Willoughby, M., & Mills-Koonce, R. (2017). The role of maternal directed gaze, sensitive parenting and emotion recognition in childhood callous-unemotional behaviours. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 26(8), 947-956. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-017-0967-1
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2016
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Bedford, R., Saez de Urabain, I. R., Cheung, C.H.M., Karmiloff-Smith, A., & Smith, T. J. (2016). Toddlers’ Fine Motor Milestone Achievement is Associated with Early Touchscreen Scrolling. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 1108. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01108
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Media coverage: BBC News, The Independent, Evening Standard
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Bedford, R., Jones, E. H., Johnson, M. H., Pickles, A., Charman, T., & Gliga, T. (2016). Sex differences in the association between infant markers and later autistic traits. Molecular Autism, 7(1), 21. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13229-016-0081-0
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Bedford, R., Pickles, A., & Lord, C. (2016). Early Gross Motor Skills Predict the Subsequent Development of Language in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism Research, 9(9), 993-1001.​ https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.1587
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Media coverage: Spectrum News
Bedford, R., Pellicano, E., Mareschal, D., & Nardini, M. (2016). Flexible integration of visual cues in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Research, 9(2), 272-281. https://dx.doi.org/10.1002%2Faur.1509
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2015
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Gliga, T., Bedford, R., Charman, T., Johnson, M. H., & The BASIS Team. (2015). Enhanced visual search in infancy predicts emerging autism symptoms. Current Biology, 25(13), 1727-1730. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.cub.2015.05.011
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Media coverage: Scientific American Mind, ABC News Australia, The Times Online
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Leonard, H.*, Bedford, R.*, Pickles, A., & Hill, E. (2015). Predicting the rate of language development from early motor skills in at-risk infants who develop autism spectrum disorder. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 13, 15-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2014.12.012
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Gammer, I., Bedford, R., Elsabbagh, M., Garwood, H., Pasco, G., Tucker, L., Volein, A., Johnson, M. H., Charman, T., & The BASIS Team. (2015). Behavioural markers for autism in infancy: Scores on the Autism Observation Scale for Infants in a prospective study of at-risk siblings. Infant Behavior and Development, 38, 107-115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2014.12.017
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Green, J., Charman, T., Pickles, A., Wan, M. W., Elsabbagh, M., Slonims, V., Taylor, C., McNally, J., Booth, R., Gliga, T., Jones, E. J. H., Harrop, C., Bedford, R., Johnson, M. H., & The BASIS Team. (2015). Parent-mediated intervention for infants at high risk of autism: Randomised clinical trial. Lancet Psychiatry, 2(2), 133-140. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(14)00091-1
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Media coverage: TIME Online, The Guardian, Daily Mail Online
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Bedford, R., Pickles, A., Sharp, H., Wright, N., & Hill, J. (2015). Reduced face preference in infancy: A developmental precursor for callous-unemotional traits? Biological Psychiatry, 78(2), 144-150. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.biopsych.2014.09.022
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Media coverage: The Independent, Daily Mail Online, Huffington Post, The Atlantic
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Pickles, A. & Bedford, R. (2015). What Clinicians’ Need to Know about Statistical Issues and Methods. Rutter’s Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 188-200. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118381953.ch15
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2014
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Gliga, T., Jones, E. J. H., Bedford, R., Charman, T., & Johnson, M. H. (2014). From early markers to neuro-developmental mechanisms of autism. Developmental Review, 34(3), 189-207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dr.2014.05.003
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Jones, E. J. H., Gliga, T., Bedford, R., Charman, T., & Johnson, M. H. (2014). Developmental pathways to autism: A review of prospective studies of infants at risk. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 39, 1-33. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.neubiorev.2013.12.001
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Bedford, R., Pickles, A., Gliga, T., Elsabbagh, M., Charman, T., Johnson, M. H., & The BASIS Team. (2014). Additive effects of social and non-social attention during infancy relate to later autism spectrum disorder. Developmental Science, 17(4), 612-620. https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.12139
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Hudry, K., Chandler, S., Bedford, R., Pasco, G., Gliga, T., Elsabbagh, M., Johnson, M. H., Charman, T., & The BASIS Team. (2014). Early language profiles in infants at high-risk for autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(1), 154-167. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-013-1861-4
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Leonard, H. C., Bedford, R., Charman, T., Elsabbagh, M., Johnson, M. H., Hill, E. L., & The BASIS Team. (2014). Motor development in children at-risk of autism: A follow-up study of infant siblings. Autism, 18(3), 281-291. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361312470037
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Elsabbagh, M., Bedford, R., Senju, A., Charman, T., Pickles, A., Johnson, M. H., & The BASIS Team. (2014). What you see is what you get: contextual modulation of face scanning in typical and atypical development. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 9(4), 538-543. https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nst012
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2013
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Bedford, R., Gliga, T., Frame, K., Hudry, K., Chandler, S., Johnson, M. H., Charman, T., & The BASIS Team. (2013) Failure to learn from feedback underlies word learning difficulties in toddlers at-risk for autism. Journal of Child Language, 40(1), 29-46. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0305000912000086
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2012
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Bedford, R., Elsabbagh, M., Senju, A., Gliga, T., Pickles, A., Charman, T., Johnson, M. H., & The BASIS Team. (2012). Precursors to social and communication difficulties in infants at-risk for autism: Gaze following and attentional engagement. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42(10), 2208-2218. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-012-1450-y
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2010
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Nardini, M., Bedford, R., & Mareschal, D. (2010). Fusion of visual cues is not mandatory in children. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 107(39), 17041-17046. https://dx.doi.org/10.1073%2Fpnas.1001699107
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2008
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Nardini, M., Jones, P., Bedford, R., & Braddick, O. (2008). Development of cue integration in human navigation. Current Biology, 18(9), 689-693. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2008.04.021
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*joint first author
